§§»-...... ......-»§§
##§@\».... ....»\@§##
###§@§\»-. .-»\§@§###
###§@§\»-. .-»\§@§###
###§@§\»-. .-»\§@§###
#§§\»..... ................ .....»\§§#
§§»»...... the alvar fields ......»»§§
###§@§\»-. @@@##########@@@ .-»\§@§###
§§§§@§\»-. .-»\§@§§§§
###§@§\»-. from north to south, thirty odd .-»\§@§###
###§@§\»-. kilometers. from west to east, four .-»\§@§###
###§@§\»-. thousand meters. from topsoil to stone, .-»\§@§###
#§@§\-.... a foot or two. no roots can fester, no ....-\§@§#
#§§\-..... dust can linger. .....-\§§#
##§@§§\»-. .-»\§§@§##
##§§@§\»-. here is earth, clay, and sturdy low .-»\§@§§##
###§@§\»-. plants. bushes frame the strip. the .-»\§@§###
###§@§\»-. earth is bare in patches as large as .-»\§@§###
###§@§\»-. you and me. .-»\§@§###
###§@§\»-. .-»\§@§###
##@§\\-... cross it to get to the ocean, or don't ...-\\§@##
##§§@§\»-. to stay where you are. .-»\§@§§##
#§§\\».... ....»\\§§#
###§@§\»-. .-»\§@§###
§@§\»..... .....»\§@§
###§@§\»-. .-»\§@§###
§@@\--.... ....--\@@§
##§§@§\»-. .-»\§@§§##